A Sennheiser MKE 400 super cardioid on-camera shotgun microphone was recently sent to us. This is the MKE 400’s second generation; the first had a “dubious” suspension mounting mechanism close to the cold shoe. But the MKE 400’s most recent iteration makes it among the best small on-camera shotgun mics you can purchase in this price range. We don’t really have many complaints about this microphone, so we’ll just get started and list the positives. First of all, we adore this new internal suspension mount system design. you can read our article on Sennheiser MKE 400 review. It has a cylindrical tube, and inside, out of sight, the tiny rifle mic is mounted on the rubber suspension system. The fact that it doesn’t bounce around and bob up and down like a comically long piece of rubber thanks to this design looks great, works great, and, well, you know what… the camera while you run and gun it on top of it. Next is the unusual but much-appreciated headphone jack socket with its own volume rocker control, allowing you to plug your headphones directly into the MKE 400 for latency-free monitoring if you’re using the mic on, say, a newer iPhone and don’t have a headphone socket there.
Design
Shotgun mics, such as the MKE 400, are designed to attach to the top of your camera for ease of handling in contrast to boom mics. Sennheiser made the MKE 400 noticeably lightweight and compact in order to achieve this. Although it is plasticky, it doesn’t seem fragile or insubstantial, and we appreciate the repositioning of the 3.5mm mic output to the front from the back. By doing this, the detachable wire is kept out of the way of your phone or camera’s display. Speaking of phones, the MKE 400 is incredibly mobile-friendly but you will need to purchase a case or stand with a camera-style hot shoe to mount it. A TRRS (tip/ring/ring/sleeve) cable is available specifically for your smartphone’s headphone jack in addition to the 3.5mm TRS (tip/ring/sleeve) cable that is standard for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. You can begin by just plugging this in, or if your phone doesn’t have a headphone jack, use an adaptor. Even though the MKE 400 has a power button, it also includes an auto-power feature that enables it to automatically switch on whenever it is plugged in and shut off when the connection is broken. Although the built-in controls are fairly simple, they at least allow for some recording flexibility. Along with a low cut filter that claims to eliminate unwanted low-frequency noises, there is a gain switch that can be used to optionally add or subtract 20 decibels. This may be the result of nearby motor vehicle noises or simply from handling the MKE 400 while recording. One of the major upgrades to the MKE 400 is a headphone jack for mic monitoring, which allows you to hear how your footage will sound while you shoot it. The headphone port is particularly beneficial when you’re filming anything other than yourself, and together with its 8-step volume rocker, it makes this version of an MKE 400 significantly more useful than its predecessor. Because the MKE 400 only uses a super cardioid recording pattern, it primarily captures sound in a small area directly in front of the mic. You must pay attention to where the MKE 400’s back is pointed just as much as its front because this pattern also takes up sounds that are precisely behind the mic. also you will learn our article on Sennheiser MKE 400 review.
Sennheiser MKE 400 review: Feature
The absence of a safety channel is one quite significant feature that hasn’t really been highlighted thus far. If you’ve never heard of it, this is where the microphone transmits signals on the left and right channels at various volumes. This way, you still have the recording at a lower volume to try to recover the sound from if it suddenly becomes very loud and clips out. Due to the difficulty of implementing this feature in something like a phantom-powered XLR shotgun microphone, it has traditionally been handled by the recorder. However, as more people record directly into cameras, this feature has recently begun to become standard on many powered on-camera microphones. Here, we have a number of shotgun and small wireless microphones with a built-in safety channel. When we were vlogging, it was a very helpful feature that occasionally kept the shoot from falling apart when the audio couldn’t be checked in real time as it was being recorded. For many vloggers, it has almost become a requirement. Although limiters in cameras only function to a certain extent, it is fortunate that some cameras, like the Panasonic G80s that we use for vlogging, have one built in to help prevent clipping. You simply need to take extra care to ensure that your camera’s record level and microphone gain settings are correct and that you don’t speak too loudly.
Sennheiser MKE 400 review: Sound Quality
The MKE 400 offers clear, sharp communication indoors, as you would want and anticipate. The MKE 400’s recordings priorities the speaker’s voice over any background noise as long as it is accurately directed at them, minimizing incidental sounds like clothing rustling. When compared to the MKE 400, using my phone’s internal microphone was a pleasantly significant improvement. Our Google Pixel 4a microphone is capable of recording speech, but because of its less precise directional recording, it also captured unwanted sounds like foot tapping. The MKE 400 recorded less reverb indoors and picked up far fewer unwanted sounds in addition to offering better overall clarity. When the low cut filter was turned on, background noises like traffic and the occasional screaming child were reduced to a minimum outside. However, they weren’t completely eliminated, so if you just want to record a presenter’s voice in crowded places, you should probably stick to lavalier mics. The MKE 400 will nevertheless assist in producing sufficient clean recordings for vlogging and travelogues. Even without the deliciously fluffy windshield that comes in the box, the MKE 400 is wind-resistant. However, you’ll be delighted you have this addition when it’s really windy outside. In spite of the challenging circumstances, it at least reduces wind noise to a low hum that is easy to communicate over. Additionally helpful are the low cut filter and maintaining the gain switch at 0. We were impressed by the MKE 400’s resistance to shock. We could pick up the MKE 400 by its base and wave it around without any audible rustling, whereas handling mics while they are recording is a good way to add a bunch of random knocking and fumbling sounds. Even with the low cut filter turned off, that remained the case. Additionally, recordings keep a very clear left/right separation, making it simple to identify individual sound sources within a scene.
Performance
During our testing, we spent several days recording with the Sennheiser MKE 400 (2021) in as many different situations as we could, and we were very pleased with the results. It was ideal for vloggers and aspiring filmmakers because the audio was crystal clear and a significant amount of background noise from our surroundings was kept to a reasonable level.This is possible because of a few features the microphone has. As a super-cardioid microphone, it records sound best from directly in front of or behind it while excluding noise from the sides. Furthermore, you can easily remove unwanted low-frequency noise, such as road noise or vibrations from handling the mic while recording, by using the low-cut filter on the microphone (which you can turn on or off). The headphone jack makes it even simpler to balance recordings while they are being made because the gain switch, which can be used to adjust input volume, toggles between -20dB, 0dB, and +20dB. You may quickly and easily view what the mic is capturing in real-time via this aux port and the nearby volume buttons, allowing you to make adjustments as necessary. If you’ve ever had this happen, you know how frustrating it can be when you think you have the perfect take but then realis you have to go again because the gain was set too high and the audio is blown out. This will undoubtedly save you a lot of time – and pain. Although we found that in most cases by adjusting the settings and making sure to angle the microphone correctly to take advantage of the cardioid profile we could still make out what our subject was saying quite clearly, recording in places with a lot of background noise from all directions or when the wind picks up can lead to some problems. Additionally, you can always count on the windsock to assist lessen wind noise. There is almost never a reason not to slip this incredibly fluffy cover over the Sennheiser MKE 400 because it is so effective at blocking out unwanted noises.
Sennheiser MKE 400 review: Battery life
The MKE 400 has a door on the back where you can insert two AAA batteries, which provide 100 hours of use, and a mic output socket on the front that uses Sennheiser’s renowned locking system to prevent the cable from accidentally pulling out while you’re using it. A high-quality coiled TRRS to TRS cable, a TRS to TRS cable, included AAA batteries, a rather nice dead cat, a drawstring pouch to keep the mic in, and a windjammer are all included in the box.
Price and availability
The Sennheiser MKE 400 (2021) has a list price of $199.95 / £179 (roughly AU$270), but you can find it for less if you shop around. It is offered by a variety of retailers. The MKE 400 makes for a great piece of equipment for those dipping their toes into the worlds of filmmaking and vlogging because, even at its full price, it is a mic that is incredibly affordable when compared to similar models. also you can check our article on Sennheiser MKE 400 review.
Conclusion
Are you a podcaster, filmmaker, vlogger, or another type of content producer trying to advance in audio but struggling to pay for pricey booms and mics? In such case, the MKE 400 mobile kit really is a one-stop shop. One of the top mics for recording videos, without a doubt. Regardless of the situation, the clamp and tripod will help you find stability and control whether you’re using a professional camera or a smartphone. The microphone is simple to use and has great sound. Trust us when we say that viewers will view you in a much more serious manner as a result. The final rating is nine out of ten.
